The BEST of 2013..

Let’s talk tools here…quilting tools! 

For ME, the best tool that I bought in 2013 was the June Taylor ruler…the Shape Cut Ruler. 

Siena introduced us to this ruler during an impromptu demonstration at Clubhouse Quilting last January!  After her demo we all promptly ordered one from JoAnn’s online store!

You can see Siena’s full tutorial on how to use this ruler HERE!!

Do you see how you just place your 45cm rotary ruler in the slots and cut…done! 

This year I did not get out my GO! cutter once to cut strips…the June Tailor was faster!  She was easier to get out, there was no setting up and there was NO fabric wastage!!  AND she is cheaper to buy…WAY cheaper than buying one strip die cutter from Acuquilt!!  I paid about $23 for my ruler (she was on sale) and let me tell you…it was the best $23 that I have ever spent!

One tip though…if you order one, go for the 18” or bigger.  You get more cuts per placement and it’s less fiddling!! This size makes it easier to handle a bigger piece of fabric…and it’s just better…This ruler cuts MORE than just strips…she cuts blocks as well, simply by turning the ruler.  Her only flaw is that she only cuts in 1/2” increments…so if you need 2 7/8” strips…she can’t cut it! 

On the whole…she is a real trouper!!  I use her all the time!  Of course she comes with me down south…I store her in the flat cardboard box that she arrived in. 

As you-know-who would say… “She’s a good thing!!” 

What about YOU??  What was your best tool for 2013??  We quilters REALLY want to know!!  Come on SPILL…

Tomorrow I’m writing about what MY worse tool for 2013 was…can you guess what that might be??

Have a WONDERFUL New Year and all the very BEST for 2014! 

Hugs all around!!~P

The LOOT!

Here are my loot bags from Grand Country Quilter and the Fat Quarters Shop…

I bought tons of Homespuns…I just can’t find them at home…and certainly NOT for this price!!  I also bought a half yard of brown wool..it’s flecked with red, orange and white (my camera picked up all the whites making it look weird!)

I scored the kit to make Snowbound by Pat Wys!  LOVE this quilt!!

Here’s a side view of all of the yummy fabrics!!

And the patterns…anything Christmas was 40% off!!  If you go back to yesterday’s post you can see these sweet wool ornies all made up!!  Ahhhhdorable!

This is an old Cheri pattern that has been brought back to life!!  LOVE the skaters block…

You need to SEE this wall hanging in real life to REALLY appreciate it!!

This one was small…and dang cute!

I loved the little store sampler of this Bittersweet Mat in the shop…BUT DON’T BUY THIS PATTERN!!!!  It is the worse pattern EVER!!

Seriously…this is ALL you get!!  A half a sheet of paper with a half circle and a berry template!!!  No template or picture for the wreath…which is what you need.  If you have a bowl in your cupboard then you have a circle…a dime for the berry…and that is what I paid for!!  NOTHING else!!  Such a RIP OFF!!  I have never bought a ‘Plays with Wool Design’ before…have you??  Are their patterns all like THIS?  If I should buy another, I will be pulling out the pattern BEFORE I purchase…!!  Buyer beware!

And WHO could resist this quilt pattern…and the snow fabric to go with it!!

Yup, aside from the mat pattern it was a great day shopping!!  Love all of my buys!!

Hope you are finding some After Christmas Bargooons too!!~P

The Fat Quarters Shop…in Vista, CA..

…should not be confused with the on-line shop of the same name.  The difference is in the ‘s’.  Do you see that the shop that we went to has an ‘s’ on the Quarter, as in plural Quarters!!  So plural it was…we made sure that we bought more than one of everything! haha 

So YESTERDAY I showed you our first stop…Grand Country Quilt Shop…where Kim and I spent an hour enjoying their sale.  On the way to The Fat Quarters Shop we assured the guys that we had completed our major shopping and would only need a quick look at the next shop..because there was no sale happening there.  Half an hour would do the trick…

Here’s the front entrance to the shop…see the chalkboard…advertising their SALE!!  OH CRAP!!  Kim and I looked at each other…ooooohhh my… BUT we were up for the challenge…high fived ‘ers all around, fist taps and belly bumps…and we entered the shop…ON A MISSION… !!

The sale was 25% off the whole shop with 40% off ANYTHING CHRISTMAS!!  We were two quilters possessed!  So while you look at the pictures imagine Kim and I scooting around the shop like chickens with our heads cut off!!  15 minutes….GO!!

These are bolts of WOOL…on SALE!!

WHEW…I see Kim…and she’s at the till…with a HUGE smile on her face and we were right on 15 minutes…a world record achieved!!  Can you hear the “SCORE” times TWO coming out of the shop!!  Kim found her Downton Abbey fabric at 25% off and lots of other things…and I was clicking my heels as well!!

START THE CAR!!  START THE CAR!  Yup the limo was waiting at the curb…smiles from the boys because we were on time!  All was right with the world!!  Now it’s on to lunch!!

So up next…we were off to Oceanside…a seaside town not far from the Fat Quarter Shop…where we found a restaurant with an outside courtyard…and this view!!  Yup…hard to take I know!!  Don and Kim treated us to a thank you lunch…which really wasn’t necessary…but very thoughtful! 

And man, those victory burgers tasted good!! 

As for the loot…you will have to wait for tomorrow to peak inside my bags…I am such a tease!!  I have to milk this trip for all it’s worth because no sewing been going on around here!!  Maybe today…

Thanks for coming along…hope you enjoyed both shops…trust me, they were both WAY BETTER IN REAL LIFE!!~P

Grand Country Quilters

A Newsletter from Grand Country Quilters in San Marcos, CA advertising their after Christmas SALE had Kim and I heading for the HILLS…literally!!  We piled into our truck…my hubby driving, Kim’s hubby, Don as co-pilot and of course our dogs for encouraging licks and guidance…we made ‘er to the shop bright and early!! 

While we shopped the guys were off to a park to give the dogs a much needed run!  We had ONE HOUR to get the job done…and man, did we get ‘er done!!

Seeing this sign was all the encouragement we needed to get into the spirit of the season!!  The Boxing Day-After Christmas SALE Season!!

I love this shop…it’s small but packed with goodness…the best kind of goodness..quilty goodness!

I am going to let you wander…it was busy but manageable!!

I KNOW I said I would let you wander…but just LOOK…a whole wall and a half of HOMESPUNS!!

Walls of patterns….

WOOL!!  Tons of wool and 30% off!!

This quilt was STUNNING…and reminded me of the wee mat that Glynis just finished (I will be showing you pics of Glynis’ mat SOON!!)  This was a huge quilt designed by 7 Potatoes More…a new designer? 

Yes, that’s Summertime above it…looking spectacular!

And beside it was another Primitive Gathering wool and cotton quilt!  Lovely!

This is the monthly BOM that the shop is offering…

Love the quilt on the table…HEY…they had cookies!!  Never noticed them while in the shop!!  They do look good on THAT QUILT!!  Yup…I had eyes only for the QUILT!!

We will finish the tour with this sweet Cheri mat…LOVE this mat!!  Yes, this pattern came home with me LAST YEAR!!  Must make it!

So how did we do??  …all I can say is…. “START THE CAR!!  START THE CAR!!” 

Kim and I were both carrying big bags and we were just a couple of minutes late…nothing to fret about apparently because after this shop it was off to The Fat Quarters Shop in Vista…and YES, there was a SALE happening there too!! “ SCORE!!” 

Tomorrow I will show you what we found at The Fat Quarters Shop…believe me..you will want to come back for this…be prepared for tons of eye candy!!  In fact it was eye candy OVER LOAD!!

Whew…that was like shopping all over again!!

Thanks for coming along…see ya’ all tomorrow? ~P